Greenberg Traurig hired restructuring attorneys Bruce Zirinsky and John Bae for its global business reorganization and bankruptcy practice. Zirinsky will take over as co-chairman of the group, while Bae will become a senior member.

They join from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where Zirinsky headed the financial restructuring department for 10 years.

Zirinsky has represented creditors, debtors and investors in sectors such as real estate, airlines, energy, telecommunications, maritime, gaming/resorts and chemicals for more than 30 years. Bae's career spans over 20 years, and he has worked alongside Zirinsky for much of it.

"The addition of Bruce and John is particularly exciting now, with the challenges in the US and global marketplaces and the need for major law firms to adjust rapidly to change," said Richard Rosenbaum, Greenberg president. "Together we will continue to bring value to our clients on both Main Street and Wall Street through our unmatched practice and geographic platform."

Greenberg's business reorganization and restructuring practice consists of 80 attorneys worldwide. Zirinsky will work with fellow co-chairmen Keith Shapiro and Mark Bloom. Shapiro and Bloom are based in Chicago and Miami, respectively.

"John and I have been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to establish a major presence for the firm in the New York market and to work with Keith, Mark and others at Greenberg Traurig to continue to build the best financial restructuring practice in the world," said Zirinsky.

The 1,800-attorney, 32-branch law firm expanded in early 2009 its New Jersey office, Beverly W. Lubit, Charles R. Berman and Timothy A. Kalas joining the firm. Lubit joins as shareholder in the Intellectual Property and Technology Practice and Berman and Kalas join as of counsels in the Corporate and Securities Practice.

Kalas also comes from Thacher, Proffitt & Wood LLP, where he was an associate; prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Berman was of counsel at Thacher, Proffitt & Wood LLP. Lubit, who was an associate in Greenberg Traurig's New York and New Jersey offices from 2001 to 2004, re-joins the firm via WolfBlock LLP where she was a partner in the Intellectual Property Information Technology Practice.

Last September, Michael E. Helmer and Leonard T. Nuara joined the firm's Corporate and Securities and Intellectual Property and Technology Practices, respectively, as shareholders. Both had been at Thacher Proffit & Wood's New Jersey office, where Helmer was Managing Partner and Nuara was Chairman of the office's Technology and IP practice. Three other Thacher attorneys came with them to Greenberg Traurig: associates Daniel A. Feuerstein and Melinda J. Garvey and IP specialist Thomas M. Laudise, who joined as of counsel. James A. Dempsey, formerly with Sills Cummis & Gross PC, also joined last September as of counsel in the firm's Corporate and Securities Practice, and litigation associate Katherine Ann Ritchie, formerly with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, joined the firm last December.

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Bankruptcy Career moves